Why the 'Star Wars' Prequels Are Better Than the Original Trilogy

[DragonAgeOrgins]

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/why-star-wars-prequels-better-original-trilogy-160300514.html

 

It verges on cinematic treason to suggest that the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy is in any way superior to the original trilogy. However, history has proved that treasonous behavior is just as often necessary to stimulate progressive revolution as it is to endow malevolent forces with unrestricted authority necessary to obstruct basic human rights. So here goes: the first three episodes in the saga of Anakin Skywalker

 

are deeper, better structured, and more politically astute than the final three. Not only is that why the prequel is superior, it is also a pretty decent elucidation of the original trilogy's greater popularity.

 

That the "Star Wars" trilogy embraced by American moviegoers is the one that presents a far less complex universe is not incidental to the rabid rebuke of the prequel. "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" reflect the Cold War milieu in which they were created, offering up a comforting us-vs.-them story told in bold strokes lacking nuance, complexity, or intellectual ambiguity.

 

That isn't to say that times have changed much; with the exception of "The Phantom Menace," the second and third installments of the prequel were released to an America that had embraced absolute views even more so than the original trilogy.

 

The difference is that the original trilogy appealed directly to the simplistic moral perspective of an America above reproach and always on the side of right in global geopolitics, whereas the much more subversive prequel trilogy stands in defiant counterpoint to the much more dangerously simplistic moral absolutism of the Age of Bush.

 

The original trilogy holds a special place in the bosom of American moviegoers precisely because we view ourselves comfortably in place of the Rebels. Americans revel in their historical construct as rebellious underdogs constantly at war against an easily identified and unquestionably evil empire. Hence, the reason most Americans love the original trilogy has much to do with placement of ourselves in the role of the inheritors of the mantle of the Jedi.

 

The problem is that the post-9/11 world meant Americans also were forced to identify themselves with the Jedi in the prequel trilogy as well, and we don't like the face we see in the mirror. Let's face it, the Jedi don't exactly come off too swell in the prequel. This time around they are the guys in charge, and it is painful to watch them screw it up, especially when the way they hand over the keys to the Empire is so eerily familiar to a historical era defined by words like "signing statements" and "Patriot Act."

 

Just in case you didn't notice in your rush to castigate Jar-Jar Binks and complain about the wooden dialogue of the prequel, the peaceful Galactic Republic in place at the beginning of "The Phantom Menace" doesn't turn into the dark empire in place at the beginning of "A New Hope" due to an invasion by a foreign element. The Republic falls as a result of due democratic process, albeit due democratic process that is manipulated through lies and deception. Again, sound familiar?

 

Watching the "Stars Wars" prequel trilogy is like the most entertaining lesson in civics ever given -- specifically the way it reveals how even a republic peopled by representative leaders with the best of intentions can make decisions that result in disastrous policies, accompanied by devastation and the crumbling of great ideas. Yoda's observations about anger, hate, fear, and suffering are not said lightly; they may be the most prescient words spoken by a movie character in recent memory.

 

Not much less important is another quote associated with "The Phantom Menace," a quote that hasn't proved anywhere near as memorable as Yoda's but nonetheless plays a huge part in the events that will follow. Chances are you don't even remember these words of Darth Maul: "Fear is my ally." One can well imagine that slogan scrawled across the office walls of men like Scooter Libby and tattooed across the back of Dick Cheney.

 

Nowhere in the original "Star Wars" trilogy is there any sequence of events nearly as profound in their application to real life as Palpatine's manipulative orchestration of the separatist movement "headed" by Count Dooku. Palpatine's nefarious scripting of events allows him to go before the senate and ask for special "emergency powers" to deal with the growing threat facing the peace of the republic. Perhaps if Americans had embraced the prequel in the way they did the original "Star Wars" trilogy, they would recognize the danger when an elected member of a representative republic asks for "emergency powers" to combat a threat.

 

Palpatine's actions in the prequel are positively Machiavellian, and his evil in those first three movies is far more chilling than his appearances as the emperor in the original trilogy. In those movies, Palpatine is so far removed from us we can only approach him from the perspective of a Hitler. We must always remember that Hitler didn't ascend to dictator by using tanks, but the ballot box.

 

Just as Palpatine is far more chilling as a politician abusing the system than he is as an emperor in comprehensively malevolent control, so is Anakin Skywalker far more chilling as a powerless pawn than he is as powerful Darth Vader. No more alarming scene exists in the entire "Star Wars" canon than the political conversation that takes place in "Attack of the Clones" between Anakin and Amidala when the boy-who-would-be Vader suggests the system is broken and needs to be replaced with something where one person in charge has the power to enforce laws he feels are for the good of the people. Amidala replies, rightfully, that what Anakin is talking about sounds like a dictatorship. And then these all-too-familiar words from Anakin: "Well, if it works."

 

Anakin's justification that if authoritarian control works in keeping us safe was being repeated on a daily basis by those in charge at the very time the scene was being projected onto multiplex screens around the world. Too many Anakin Skywalkers existed then and, amazingly, exist right now in this country who are far too eager to give up hard-earned civil rights for the illusion of security. And it is the very fact that one can write about Anakin without calling him either evil or good that elevates the prequel above the original. Try naming a single character in the original trilogy that can attain such an authentic level of ambiguity.

 

There is absolutely no element or character in the original trilogy that isn't delineated in stark black and white terms. Episodes IV through VI tell a much happier story, one that is consistent with the birth of the American democracy through acts of rebellion by a ragtag group of people who held the moral high ground. Episodes I through III, by contrast, tell a much less happy story about how a democracy can come to an end -- not at the hands of foreign interlopers, but directly through the democratic process itself. More people may prefer the original "Star Wars" trilogy, but there is no question that the prequel is a more challenging, illuminating, and superior work of art.

[kutulhu]

lol...Its like the person writing this forgets how clumsily all that he is writing about is realized.

 

X-Men 3 is about homosexuality, its more relevant in those terms than any other X-Men movie. Too bad is still blows.

[MartyCZE]

Is it April Fool's Day already? Edited February 13, 2012 by MartyCZE

[kalimarr]

I couldnt bring myself to read all of it, depsite that, I think I can still safely reply with a simple: No.

[Rayla_Felana]

I see all six as one big film, just different chapters, like Lord of the Rings, will never understand OT vs PT, just petty children from the 70s arguing with petty children from the early 2000s, I think both groups need to do some growing up.

[CptBrit]

I read it all, your viewpoints are well thought out and although I never thought of it I kind of agree with you but then I personally liked all 6 films but i'm more of a "Lightsaber make nice sound" kind of moviegoer than "This is obviously a parallel of how mankind can be tricked into giving up something that it holds so dear through fear"

[gaskull]

I see all six as one big film, just different chapters, like Lord of the Rings, will never understand OT vs PT, just petty children from the 70s arguing with petty children from the early 2000s, I think both groups need to do some growing up.

 

QFT

[kalimarr]

I see all six as one big film, just different chapters, like Lord of the Rings, will never understand OT vs PT, just petty children from the 70s arguing with petty children from the early 2000s, I think both groups need to do some growing up.

 

So says the man who likes to play video games

 

C'mon these discussions will never end. Just because you have a very non-explorative point of view on the OT and PT doesnt mean everyone else are arguing petty children. You hear it with sports, music and all manner of other topics.

 

What you're saying is like "I just sit there and switch off my brain." There are some movies which let you do that. SW (yes i even include the prequels) and LOTR for that matter are not some of those movies.

[gaskull]

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/why-star-wars-prequels-better-original-trilogy-160300514.html

 

It verges on cinematic treason to suggest that the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy is in any way superior to the original trilogy. However, history has proved that treasonous behavior is just as often necessary to stimulate progressive revolution as it is to endow malevolent forces with unrestricted authority necessary to obstruct basic human rights. So here goes: the first three episodes in the saga of Anakin Skywalker

 

are deeper, better structured, and more politically astute than the final three. Not only is that why the prequel is superior, it is also a pretty decent elucidation of the original trilogy's greater popularity.

 

That the "Star Wars" trilogy embraced by American moviegoers is the one that presents a far less complex universe is not incidental to the rabid rebuke of the prequel. "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" reflect the Cold War milieu in which they were created, offering up a comforting us-vs.-them story told in bold strokes lacking nuance, complexity, or intellectual ambiguity.

 

That isn't to say that times have changed much; with the exception of "The Phantom Menace," the second and third installments of the prequel were released to an America that had embraced absolute views even more so than the original trilogy.

 

The difference is that the original trilogy appealed directly to the simplistic moral perspective of an America above reproach and always on the side of right in global geopolitics, whereas the much more subversive prequel trilogy stands in defiant counterpoint to the much more dangerously simplistic moral absolutism of the Age of Bush.

 

The original trilogy holds a special place in the bosom of American moviegoers precisely because we view ourselves comfortably in place of the Rebels. Americans revel in their historical construct as rebellious underdogs constantly at war against an easily identified and unquestionably evil empire. Hence, the reason most Americans love the original trilogy has much to do with placement of ourselves in the role of the inheritors of the mantle of the Jedi.

 

The problem is that the post-9/11 world meant Americans also were forced to identify themselves with the Jedi in the prequel trilogy as well, and we don't like the face we see in the mirror. Let's face it, the Jedi don't exactly come off too swell in the prequel. This time around they are the guys in charge, and it is painful to watch them screw it up, especially when the way they hand over the keys to the Empire is so eerily familiar to a historical era defined by words like "signing statements" and "Patriot Act."

 

Just in case you didn't notice in your rush to castigate Jar-Jar Binks and complain about the wooden dialogue of the prequel, the peaceful Galactic Republic in place at the beginning of "The Phantom Menace" doesn't turn into the dark empire in place at the beginning of "A New Hope" due to an invasion by a foreign element. The Republic falls as a result of due democratic process, albeit due democratic process that is manipulated through lies and deception. Again, sound familiar?

 

Watching the "Stars Wars" prequel trilogy is like the most entertaining lesson in civics ever given -- specifically the way it reveals how even a republic peopled by representative leaders with the best of intentions can make decisions that result in disastrous policies, accompanied by devastation and the crumbling of great ideas. Yoda's observations about anger, hate, fear, and suffering are not said lightly; they may be the most prescient words spoken by a movie character in recent memory.

 

Not much less important is another quote associated with "The Phantom Menace," a quote that hasn't proved anywhere near as memorable as Yoda's but nonetheless plays a huge part in the events that will follow. Chances are you don't even remember these words of Darth Maul: "Fear is my ally." One can well imagine that slogan scrawled across the office walls of men like Scooter Libby and tattooed across the back of Dick Cheney.

 

Nowhere in the original "Star Wars" trilogy is there any sequence of events nearly as profound in their application to real life as Palpatine's manipulative orchestration of the separatist movement "headed" by Count Dooku. Palpatine's nefarious scripting of events allows him to go before the senate and ask for special "emergency powers" to deal with the growing threat facing the peace of the republic. Perhaps if Americans had embraced the prequel in the way they did the original "Star Wars" trilogy, they would recognize the danger when an elected member of a representative republic asks for "emergency powers" to combat a threat.

 

Palpatine's actions in the prequel are positively Machiavellian, and his evil in those first three movies is far more chilling than his appearances as the emperor in the original trilogy. In those movies, Palpatine is so far removed from us we can only approach him from the perspective of a Hitler. We must always remember that Hitler didn't ascend to dictator by using tanks, but the ballot box.

 

Just as Palpatine is far more chilling as a politician abusing the system than he is as an emperor in comprehensively malevolent control, so is Anakin Skywalker far more chilling as a powerless pawn than he is as powerful Darth Vader. No more alarming scene exists in the entire "Star Wars" canon than the political conversation that takes place in "Attack of the Clones" between Anakin and Amidala when the boy-who-would-be Vader suggests the system is broken and needs to be replaced with something where one person in charge has the power to enforce laws he feels are for the good of the people. Amidala replies, rightfully, that what Anakin is talking about sounds like a dictatorship. And then these all-too-familiar words from Anakin: "Well, if it works."

 

Anakin's justification that if authoritarian control works in keeping us safe was being repeated on a daily basis by those in charge at the very time the scene was being projected onto multiplex screens around the world. Too many Anakin Skywalkers existed then and, amazingly, exist right now in this country who are far too eager to give up hard-earned civil rights for the illusion of security. And it is the very fact that one can write about Anakin without calling him either evil or good that elevates the prequel above the original. Try naming a single character in the original trilogy that can attain such an authentic level of ambiguity.

 

There is absolutely no element or character in the original trilogy that isn't delineated in stark black and white terms. Episodes IV through VI tell a much happier story, one that is consistent with the birth of the American democracy through acts of rebellion by a ragtag group of people who held the moral high ground. Episodes I through III, by contrast, tell a much less happy story about how a democracy can come to an end -- not at the hands of foreign interlopers, but directly through the democratic process itself. More people may prefer the original "Star Wars" trilogy, but there is no question that the prequel is a more challenging, illuminating, and superior work of art.

 

Admirable post

[Malastare]

Guys:

 

Note that DragonAgeOrigins is a professional troll on these forums. Just look through their posting history. I think this is the first DAO thread in a couple weeks that I haven't reported as trolling. All of them get closed and removed.

 

Don't feed it. Just debate on any other thread.

[Rayla_Felana]

So says the man who likes to play video games

 

C'mon these discussions will never end. Just because you have a very non-explorative point of view on the OT and PT doesnt mean everyone else are arguing petty children. You hear it with sports, music and all manner of other topics.

 

What you're saying is like "I just sit there and switch off my brain." There are some movies which let you do that. SW (yes i even include the prequels) and LOTR for that matter are not some of those movies.

 

Missed the logic of my post I see.

 

Also, don't assume I am a man.

 

I see no problem in enjoying films or games, but I see a problem when people like the hardcore plinkett fanbase take time out of their day to bash a trilogy, just because they don't realise the OT was only the holy grail of cinema because they saw it as a child, now they have grown up, they have some diehard expectations and were obviously expecting some impossibly good prequels.

 

OT has exactly the same problems as the PT does, the difference here being, the 'diehard' OT fanbase instantly dismiss the PT as a children's story, even though RotS is darker than any of the OT films, they watch the PT with the highest intensity of cynicism which means they will nitpick every single mistake they can find, it's impossible to make a good film when your entire audience already hates it before they have seen it, which is exactly what happened to RotS a perfectly good movie.

 

And don't put words in my mouth just to dismiss my argument, in all honesty, the Star Wars saga is not as good as people make it out to be, especially the OT, overrated as hell.

 

People argue about acting, if you compared the acting in Star Wars, either trilogy, to say the Lord of the Rings acting, you'd realise how ridiculous the argument is.

[Hokonoso]

all 6 movies suck and i mean suck compared to the EU, they are just filler story so you can get the real story in the books, no reason to rate them once you realize this fact.

[kalimarr]

Missed the logic of my post I see.

 

Also, don't assume I am a man.

 

I see no problem in enjoying films or games, but I see a problem when people like the hardcore plinkett fanbase take time out of their day to bash a trilogy, just because they don't realise the OT was only the holy grail of cinema because they saw it as a child, now they have grown up, they have some diehard expectations and were obviously expecting some impossibly good prequels.

 

OT has exactly the same problems as the PT does, the difference here being, the 'diehard' OT fanbase instantly dismiss the PT as a children's story, even though RotS is darker than any of the OT films, they watch the PT with the highest intensity of cynicism which means they will nitpick every single mistake they can find, it's impossible to make a good film when your entire audience already hates it before they have seen it, which is exactly what happened to RotS a perfectly good movie.

 

And don't put words in my mouth just to dismiss my argument, in all honesty, the Star Wars saga is not as good as people make it out to be, especially the OT, overrated as hell.

 

People argue about acting, if you compared the acting in Star Wars, either trilogy, to say the Lord of the Rings acting, you'd realise how ridiculous the argument is.

 

Taking my post too seriously.

 

About you being a man or woman: honestly I just typed "man" as a default. About assuming things in general: If you are going to assume that OT vs PT discussions are carried out by petty children then I'll assume what I like

 

I wasnt putting words in your mouth either. Your initial reply was lacking in detail and just slamming people across the SW fanbase that passionatley discuss the OT vs PT. Your follow up post is more informative and I can see where you're coming from. Originally, you were dismissing the OP's topic with a conclusion that we are all squabbling petty children. It appears that you are just bored of this discussion and people that take part in it. If you were insultiing the OP because they are an alleged troll (just read the other post at end of page 1) well thats a different story.

[Mechavomit]

Why can't we all just get along?! :(

[Rayla_Felana]

About assuming things in general: If you are going to assume that OT vs PT discussions are carried out by petty children then I'll assume what I like

 

I wasnt putting words in your mouth either. Your initial reply was lacking in detail and just slamming people across the SW fanbase that passionatley discuss the OT vs PT. Your follow up post is more informative and I can see where you're coming from. Originally, you were dismissing the OP's topic with a conclusion that we are all squabbling petty children. It appears that you are just bored of this discussion and people that take part in it. If you were insultiing the OP because they are an alleged troll (just read the other post at end of page 1) well thats a different story.

 

My point about petty children, is that, whenever this topic comes up (which it does, a LOT.) almost every post I read seems like a typical 'Yeh well I know what your trilogy is, but what is mine?' debate, with the most basic and subjective arguments you could imagine, which is I why call these debates full of such.

 

It never goes anywhere, and 99% of the people revert back to their ten year old selves, some wearing a darth vader outfit with an X-wing in one hand and a Luke Skywalker in the other, and the rest wearing the clone wars shirts holding jar Jar and a Yoda clone wars plushie.

 

it gets pathetic very quickly.

 

It is merely my observation of such things, and it goes on and on and on, with no ending.

 

When people on here start to realise this is entirely subjective and people will have different opinions, PM me.

 

[HanzoV]

Personally, I prefer the OT to the PT. I will agree, though, that Palpatine's manipulations in the PT are the best part of the PT movies.

 

Ignoring the hardcore OT and PT fans for a moment; when Star Wars came out in '77, it was a cultural phenomenon. There are people who absolutely love the old Star Wars, but aren't like the hardcore collectors/gamers/fans. You really can't saw the same about the PT.

[PurpleMagick]

There are many reasons why people hate the prequel trilogies.

Its political message is nowhere near the top of that list.

[DragonAgeOrgins]

Guys:

 

Note that DragonAgeOrigins is a professional troll on these forums. Just look through their posting history. I think this is the first DAO thread in a couple weeks that I haven't reported as trolling. All of them get closed and removed.

 

Don't feed it. Just debate on any other thread.

 

My God, you really think high of yourself don't you? Just so you know I start many interesting thread's not just one. Some of them are closed because they provoke an emotional reaction unintended. (Usually mean's the community coulnd't stand from insulting one another and couldn't act like mature people)

 

Professional Troll? just what in the hell is that? excuse my french. But you have no idea what your talking about. I found this article on yahoo. Did I magically create it with my troll powers and also paid the author to make it?

 

No, No I did not. It's a topic of interesting discussion. Just because YOU don't like it. Doesn't make it a troll post. Also not "all" of my thread's get closed but when they do. I get a nice mail explaining the reason. If I was truly trolling. I would have been banned. You talk about people you do not know.

 

Back on topic. I found the "George Lucas defends SWTOR" on Huffing Post. I found this one on Yahoo. You should thank me that I stumbled across these articles instead of sulking and throwing hallow insults. Just saying.

 

Here's on of topic to my other thread's you think I'm trolling.

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=288624

 

People posting a screen shot of their SI. But that's trolling. I hate people who label and assume right away but back on topic with article peple.

 

Did I pay off George Lucas for this article, enjoying to create thread's doesn't make me a bad person.

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=293903

Edited February 13, 2012 by DragonAgeOrgins

[joeakrazo]

I think that the article serves to remind us how in theory the PT was supposed to be better than the OT.

 

Lucas and company instead gave us Binks, Gungans, broody "i love you more than you love me" teenagers for two thirds of the prequel. The other one-third was excellent and closer to the vein of the OT.

 

The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I have just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.

 

What if the PT like that quote started with the Clone wars and just summed up the senseless crap that preceded it. Imagine how much meat and potatoes of information we could have visually seen.

[_Zorth_]

all 6 movies suck and i mean suck compared to the EU, they are just filler story so you can get the real story in the books, no reason to rate them once you realize this fact.

 

Actually it's quite the contrary, The EU is a filler story for the films. Only reason EU exists is to explain what happened before, after or with a certain person from the saga.

 

There is no better or worse, Everything is opinion. Just because a person likes the PT more doesn't mean he/she is an idiot that doesn't know the first thing about films, nor are OT lovers 40 year old idiots that are die hard fanboys of Plinkett.

 

I can even bet 100$ that Plinkett could've nitpicked the OT movies and made them look like crap in his "OT reviews" if he really tried, There are already spoofs on various sites that bring up the illogical things that you can maybe notice in the OT.

 

So, PT has bad parts, OT has bad parts..

PT has more flashy lights, OT has more "depth, character development, emotion" or any other fancy word you wanna put in there. I don't look at StarWars as "PT vs. OT", I look at it just like StarWars.

[MustrumRidcully]

Why can't we all just get along?! :(

 

Peace is a lie?

[HanzoV]

I think that the article serves to remind us how in theory the PT was supposed to be better than the OT.

 

Lucas and company instead gave us Binks, Gungans, broody "i love you more than you love me" teenagers for two thirds of the prequel. The other one-third was excellent and closer to the vein of the OT.

 

 

 

What if the PT like that quote started with the Clone wars and just summed up the senseless crap that preceded it. Imagine how much meat and potatoes of information we could have visually seen.

 

Well said.

 

I don't want to dislike the Prequels; I didn't go to the midnight showing of Episode 1 with the intention of hating it. I just can't help but look at those movies and think how much better they could have been.

[JediMB]

Missed the logic of my post I see.

 

Also, don't assume I am a man.

 

I see no problem in enjoying films or games, but I see a problem when people like the hardcore plinkett fanbase take time out of their day to bash a trilogy, just because they don't realise the OT was only the holy grail of cinema because they saw it as a child, now they have grown up, they have some diehard expectations and were obviously expecting some impossibly good prequels.

 

OT has exactly the same problems as the PT does, the difference here being, the 'diehard' OT fanbase instantly dismiss the PT as a children's story, even though RotS is darker than any of the OT films, they watch the PT with the highest intensity of cynicism which means they will nitpick every single mistake they can find, it's impossible to make a good film when your entire audience already hates it before they have seen it, which is exactly what happened to RotS a perfectly good movie.

 

And don't put words in my mouth just to dismiss my argument, in all honesty, the Star Wars saga is not as good as people make it out to be, especially the OT, overrated as hell.

 

People argue about acting, if you compared the acting in Star Wars, either trilogy, to say the Lord of the Rings acting, you'd realise how ridiculous the argument is.

 

Not sure if I should ask you to marry me, or demand to get my brain back. That is a perfect post, down to the font color.

 

I mean, yes, I do love my Star Wars movies... but it has been years since I realized that I love them more for being catalysts than actual movies for watching. Without the OT there'd be no Jedi Knight or Rogue Squadron games, and without the PT we likely wouldn't have (Knights of) the Old Republic, etc..

 

Each trilogy has its own strengths, both share a good deal of common flaws, and I really don't get why my generation (and the one before it) is so dead set on hating the PT for flaws that also existed in the OT.

 

With all that said, though, I don't particularly like the person George Lucas has become. The man gives the impression of being a bit of a nut-job these days.

[HanzoV]

I mean, yes, I do love my Star Wars movies... but it has been years since I realized that I love them more for being catalysts than actual movies for watching. Without the OT there'd be no Jedi Knight or Rogue Squadron games, and without the PT we likely wouldn't have (Knights of) the Old Republic, etc..

 

Eh, maybe, maybe not. I think the inspiration for KOTOR was the Tales of the Jedi comics that came out in '94.

[Jmannseelo]

An excellent article that made some very salient points.

 

For the record, I love all six movies and I think the saga works best when viewed as a whole. The Prequels work better because of the OT, the OT works better because of the Prequels. All six movies have their flaws, but all six movies are greater than he sum of their parts.